WHO ARE WE?

Hypotenuse Eccesignum Celebrates 17 years of Friendship and Brotherhood.

Hypotenuse Eccesignum was created in Roxas City, Capiz, Philippines on November 23, 1990. There were six original cast members; all of them were in First year High School. The group was created because of their unique relationship with each other. Joeffrey, the leader of the group was a friend to Peter (since grade school), Peter was also a classmate of Ben in Saint Mary's on the first two years in grade school before he transferred to Chinese School and met Wilfredo. Meanwhile, Jonathan was a quiz bee contestant in PMRMS, where Peter was also competing. Wilfredo was having an interview before our enrollment in high school began together with Peter, while Hector became friends with Ben after destroying his electrical tester. Jonathan and Hector were buddies on the first day of high school, hence, they all formed the group, later named by Joeffrey as Hypotenuse Eccesignum and eventually dropping their "working name" as The E.C.H.O.! (which means, Examples of Courteous and Handsome Organization)

In 1990, the group has this "getting-to-know-each-other"-kind of treating each other, but in school year 1991-1992, they are beginning to become popular. It was sad though, when Peter transferred to Saint Mary's. Almost every week they have visited the Principal's Office because of complains from their teachers and fellow students. The started to vandal the name "Hypotenuse" in comfort rooms, school's backyards and staying late after school to have a bonfire in the school's playground. By doing this, they were frequently chased by the school's security guards.

The worst came during the school year, 1992-1993. Where not only as a frequent visitors of the Principal, they were cleaning the office as punishment. They were suspended from joining their classes. Almost all of their teachers were doing that. Their class adviser Mrs. Young was not able to attend to them because of illness, so like orphans, Miss Ubay was the one who scolded and disciplined them. And, they became friends with this teacher. They were given a job too, by guarding the walls from vandalism because that time, they were framed by some other groups who were envied.

When school year 1992-1993 opened, the teachers hoped that this group will improve. But that expectation was just short-lived. They were going straight already, with good academic grades, when troubles came their way. An accident happened. Somebody dropped a book while the teacher's pet was reciting in front of the class; her anger had stopped the flow of the peaceful classroom discussion. Then, their teacher in Social Studies had almost got a heart attack and blamed it to the Hypotenuse! It was war the Hypotenuse gave to this tiny little bastard teacher's pet all throughout the school year.

Their last year in high school came. It was school year 1993-1994. The teachers met before the opening of the school year to plan for the separation of the Hypotenuse. Joeffrey, Ben and Wilfredo and Hector stayed in section one together with the head of all teacher's pets, while Jonathan was in section three, where all intelligent and other teacher’s pets belonged. The teachers thought it was the best idea, but they were wrong. The group instead grew up, from six members to sixteen members in just a month. They no longer visits and cleaned the Principal's Office. But every time there were complaints, they were called up by the city's secondary schools Superintendent.

In their last year in high school, the Hypotenuse was actively joining the school's extra curricular activities. Some teachers were proud, some were not. One time, when the c\school was celebrating the "Linggo ng Wika", the Hypotenuse joined the program by dancing. Because they were so creative, they were the highlights, the last to perform basically. All students from the newbies to the oldies, the skeptic teachers and some city officials were present. During Linggo ng Wika, it celebrates the nation's local dialect "Pilipino". The performers were good in folk dancing, some danced with a Gary Valenciano hit, Shout for Joy, some sang kundimans, but when the Hypotenuse were called to perform, they danced a U.S.-based rappers Kriss-Kross, Jump! They wore jeans and as top, jackets that were opened without any under shirts... the teachers called it a nude dancing some says it ws a scandal on our culture, but the students, they enjoyed it!

For 17 years, even though they were all separated today, when they met up, the brotherhood has not changed!